Vending-machine.



No. 690,068. Patented Dec. 3|, |90|.- H. s. MILLS.

VENDING MAGHINE. (Application filed Jan. 14, 1901.)

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VENDING MACHINE.

(Application filed Jan. 14, 1901.)

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-No. 6%,068. Patented Dee. 3|, I90l.

H. S. MILLS.

VENDING MACHINE.

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H. s. MILLS.

VENDING MACHINE.

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UNTTED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HERBERT S. MILLS, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

VENDING-MACHINE.

SPEGIFIGATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 690,068, dated December31, 1901.

I Application filed January 14, 1901. Serial No. 48,186. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HERBERT S. MILLS, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Vending-Machines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates particularly to a machine for vending smallpackages or blocks of material, such as packages of gum or the like.

portion of the frame of the machine and showing also one of the rotarycarriers employed; Fig. 3, a vertical section taken, as indicated, atline 3 of Fig. 1; Fig. 4, a broken vertical section taken similarto Fig.3, but showing a different position of certain of the parts; Fig. 5, asection parallel to the front of the casing and looking toward the frontof the machine; Figs. 6 and 7, rear views of a portion of the front ofthe casing and showing different positions of the coin-operatedmechanism connected with the machine; and Figs. 8 and 9 similar views,but showing added parts.

Generally stated, the invention involves in its preferred form the useof a rotary carrier provided with vertically-disposedperipherally-arranged receptacles, coincontrolled mechanism through themedium of which said carrier is rotated, and means for locking thecarrier against rotation when a receptacle becomes empty.

A represents the frame of the machine, comprising a base portion A, asuperimposed portion A superimposed commodity-receptacle chambers A aremovable top A for said chambers, a lower casing-front portion A and anupper casing-front portion A B B, two coin-slots connected with thecasing-front portion A 0 C, coin-controlled mechanisms correspondingwith the two coin-slots; D, one of two horizontally-disposed shaftsconnected with the coin-controlled mechanisms; D D bevel-gears connectedwith said horizontal shafts; E, coin-detectors, (one only being shown,)one member of which comprises a movable magnet E; F, coin-actuatedwheels comprising portions of the coin-controlled mechanisms; G, magnetactuating devices connected with the coin-controlled mechanisms; H H,vertically-disposed carrier-actuating shafts provided with bevel-gears HH engaging the gears D D I I, rotary carriers supported from and rotatedby the shafts H H; 1 vertically-disposed commodity-receptacles shownsupplied with packages of gum or the like a; J J, Fig. 5, adjustablestops serving to engage the lowermost packages of gum as the receptaclesrotate past the stops, delivering the same into a common dischargechuteJ and K combined carrier and coinstops (one only being shown) pivoted atb.

The construction of the coin controlled mechanism herein shown is fullydisclosed in patent to me, No. 614,618, granted November 22, 1898, andmy application, Serial No. 30,899, filed September 24C, 1900. Theconstruction of the coin-detector herein employed is now in common use,and no claim thereto will be made in the present application. Thecombined carrier and coin-stop herein shown is believed to be novel andwill be fully described. The rotary carriers and the means directlyconnected therewith for operating them are believed to be novel.

As illustrated in Fig. 2, the portion A of the frame has a flatrectangular top and is provided with perforations 0, through which thevertical carrier-actuating shafts project. The rotary carriers comprisethe base portions I I and the vertically-disposed commodity-receptacles1 as clearly shown in Fig. 2. The com modity-receptacles are ofrectangular cross-section and may be conveniently formed from sheetmetal and fixed into sockets formed in the carrier-bases, asillustrated. In this construction the outer walls of the receptacles areformed by a stationary casing A which casing may be conveniently formedof two open-ended cylinders fitting into suitable sockets on the portionA of the frame and surmounted by a common cap or cover A, shaped toconform to said cylinders. The

-outline of the cover A is indicated in dotted drawn from thereceptacles, andeach carrierbase also has circular slots g,which receivethe studs J J duringthe rotation of the carrier. The receptacles arearranged on the advance side of the perforations g, the studs J Jserving to engage the lowermost parcels as the carriers rotate anddisengage said parcels from the bottoms whereon they are supported,causing them to fall through said perforations.

Each coin-controlled mechanism has as a portion thereof amanually-operated knob or handle h, connected with a rock-shaft h,carrying a coin-engaging arm 7L2. The manner in which motion iscommunicated to the coinwheel F through the medium of a coin interposedbetween the arm 72. and studs on the wheel F is well understood in theart. As shown in Fig. 6, a passage serves to conduct the-coins from thebogus-coin detector to the coin-wheel.

Each carrier and the mechanism through which it is rotated isindependentof the other carrier and its rotating mechanism, the machinebeing in reality a double machine with a common discharge-chute for thetwo carriers. The studs J and J are so located that the packages fromboth carriers will be discharged at the chute J Each carrier-base isprovided with a rim Z, having recesses Z, corresponding to the locationof the receptaclesl The lower end of the stop K bears normally againstthe rim Z under pressure from a spring m. As shown in Fig.3, thepackages of gum project out flush with the inner surface of the rim Z,and the lower end of the stop K is provided with a beveled surface m. Asthe lower end of the receptacle passes the lower end of the stop K saidlower end of the stop enters the recess Z and bears upon the end of apackage. Further rotation of the carrier causes the beveled surface toride up onto the rim Z. When there is no package in position to engagethe lower end of the stop, the stop is free to move to the positionshown in Fig. 4, thereby locking the carrier against further rotation.The inner wall of the coin-chute is provided with a perforation m whichpermits the upper outturned end of the stop K to move into thecoin-passage when the lower end of the carrier-stop is in the lockingposition. (Shown in Fig. 4:.)

The operation of the machine may be briefly stated. A coin is insertedat either of the coin-slots B or B. The customer may then turn thehandle h which corresponds to the coin-slot in which the coin isdeposited, and through the medium of the rock-shaft h, arms h andinserted coin the coin-wheel F will be turned. The shaft D is rigid withthe coinwheel, and motion will therefore be communicated to'the verticalcarrier-actuating shaft on the side of the machine which is beingoperated. As the carrier moves it carries one of its receptacles pastthe corresponding parcel: stopJ or J and the lowermost parcel or package is engaged by said stop and held against movement while the carriercontinues its rota tion. When freed from the receptacle, the parceldrops into the chute J and is delivered to the purchaser. One actuationof the knob h serves to rotate a carrier through one-sixth of arevolution inthe construction shown, thereby delivering to the purchaserbut one package. The lower end of the stop K rides upon the periphery ofthe carrier-base and over the ends of packages contained in thereceptacles until a receptacle is encountered which is empty, when thecarrier is locked against further rotation and the upper por tion of thestop enters the coin-slot, thereby preventing other coins from beingfedinto the machine. The receptacles themselves thus have an orbitalmovement during actuation of the machine. The manner in which the magnetE is actuated from the arm h is described in my pending application,Serial No. 30,899, filed September 24, 1900.

Changes in details of construction. within the spirit of my inventionmay be made. Hence no limitation is to be understood from the foregoingdetailed description except as shall appear from the appended claims.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In a vending-machine, a yieldinglv-held movable carrier-stop, and acarrier having a wall upon which one end of said stop rides and a recesswhich said stop may enter to lockingly engage the carrier when areceptacle needs recharging, substantially as described.

2. In a vending-machine, a rotary carrier having vertically-disposedreceptacles, a rim for the base of said carrier having recesses at saidreceptacles, and a yieldingly-held mov able stop bearing normally uponsaid rim and riding across said recesses by contact with IIO packagesuntil a receptacle becomes empty,

when said stop serves to lock the carrier, sub-: stantially asdescribed.

3. In a vending-machine, the combination of a rotary carrier having atits base a circumferential wall provided with recesses,-vertically-disposed receptacles arranged at said recesses, and a pivotedstop' K having one end engaging said circumferential wall, substantiallyas and for the purpose set forth.

4:. In a vending-machine, a rotary carrier having peripherally-arrangedvertical receptacles and having its bottom recessed to re ceive apackage-stop, and having also a cirpackages in said receptacles,substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

HERBERT S. MILLS.

| In presence of- D. W. LEE, ALBERT D. BACCI.

